Choose from a wide range of NEWCV resume templates and customize your NEWCV design with a single click.
Use ATS-optimised Resume and resume templates that pass applicant tracking systems. Our Resume builder helps recruiters read, scan, and shortlist your Resume faster.
Use professional field-tested resume templates that follow the exact Resume rules employers look for.
Create Resume
Use professional field-tested resume templates that follow the exact Resume rules employers look for.
Create ResumeAn employment gap on your resume is not automatically a problem in Australia. An unexplained gap is. Recruiters and hiring managers usually want to know three things: why there is a break, whether you are ready to return to work, and whether your skills are still relevant. You do not need to overshare personal details, apologise, or turn your resume into a life confession. You do need to remove doubt quickly.
The best way to handle a gap in employment is to acknowledge it briefly, frame it professionally, and shift attention back to your capability. In practice, a short career break entry, a strong professional summary, and recent skills or activity can make the difference between “unclear risk” and “reasonable career break”. That is the hiring reality most generic resume advice misses.
When I review a resume with an employment gap, I am not automatically thinking, “This person is a weak candidate.” That is not how real screening works.
What I am usually trying to work out is much more practical:
Is the gap recent or old?
Is the gap explained or left hanging?
Does the candidate look ready to return to work?
Are their skills still current?
Does the work history before the gap show stability and performance?
Does the explanation create more questions than it answers?
That last point matters more than people realise. A gap itself is rarely the main issue. The problem is when the resume creates uncertainty and gives the recruiter no easy way to resolve it.
Hiring teams are not sitting there with unlimited time, gently piecing together your life story. They are comparing applicants quickly. If one resume clearly explains a six month career break and another shows a mysterious two year silence, the clear one feels easier to progress.
Yes, if the gap is recent, obvious, or longer than a few months, you should usually explain it briefly on your resume.
You do not need to explain every short gap between jobs. A one or two month gap between roles is normal. Recruitment processes take time. People relocate, wait for contracts, recover from burnout, care for family, study, travel, or reassess their next move. That is life, not a scandal.
But if your resume jumps from 2021 to 2024 with no explanation, most recruiters will notice. Some will keep reading. Some will make assumptions. Some will simply move to the next applicant because the resume requires too much interpretation.
That sounds harsh, but it is not personal. It is a screening reality.
A useful rule is this: if the gap is obvious enough that a recruiter would ask about it in the first phone screen, address it lightly on the resume.
You are not trying to defend yourself. You are helping the reader understand the timeline.
This is especially true in the Australian job market, where many roles receive a high volume of applications and recruiters are often screening for both fit and risk. A gap does not remove you from consideration, but confusion can.
For most Australian job seekers, the best format is still a reverse chronological resume with a clear career break entry where the gap appears.
I know some people are told to use a functional resume to hide gaps. I rarely recommend that. Functional resumes often make recruiters suspicious because they separate skills from actual work history. It can feel like the candidate is trying to blur the timeline.
A better approach is to keep the structure familiar and make the gap clear but controlled.
A strong employment gap resume format usually includes:
A professional summary that positions you for the role
A key skills section that shows current capability
A reverse chronological employment history
A short career break entry if the gap is significant
Training, volunteering, freelance work, caregiving, study, or projects if relevant
Clear dates using month and year where appropriate
The goal is not to hide the gap. The goal is to stop the gap from becoming the main character.
You can explain an employment gap in three main places on an Australian resume.
Use this when the gap is recent and you are actively returning to work.
Good Example
Career break completed after family caregiving responsibilities. Now seeking to return to a customer service role where I can apply strong complaint resolution, administration, and stakeholder communication skills.
This works because it answers the obvious question quickly and moves straight back to job relevance.
Weak Example
I have been out of work for a while due to personal reasons and I am hoping someone will give me a chance.
This makes the candidate sound uncertain. It also puts the reader in the position of feeling like they are being asked for sympathy rather than assessing capability.
Use this when the gap is large enough that it would look strange if ignored.
Good Example
Career Break, Family Caregiving
Melbourne, VIC
March 2022 to January 2024
Took a planned career break to manage family caregiving responsibilities. Maintained professional readiness through online training in Microsoft Excel, customer communication, and administrative systems. Now available for full time employment.
This is clear, calm, and professional. It does not overshare. It also shows readiness.
Use the cover letter when the gap needs slightly more context, but keep the resume itself clean.
Good Example
After taking a planned career break for health and family reasons, I am now ready to return to work and am particularly interested in this role because it matches my background in office administration, scheduling, and client communication.
This is enough. You do not need to attach a documentary series.
Below are practical resume examples for common employment gap situations. These are written in a style that works for Australian resumes: clear, direct, professional, and not overly dramatic.
Use this when you want to explain the gap early without letting it dominate the resume.
Good Example
Professional Summary
Administrative professional with experience in reception, scheduling, customer service, records management, and internal coordination. Recently completed a planned career break and now seeking to return to an office support role. Known for calm communication, strong attention to detail, and the ability to manage competing priorities in busy team environments.
Why this works: it gives the reader the answer quickly. The gap is acknowledged, then the focus returns to skills and role fit.
Weak Example
Professional Summary
I have not worked recently because I had personal things happening, but I am hardworking and willing to learn.
Why this fails: it sounds vague and apologetic. “Hardworking and willing to learn” is not enough positioning, especially if the candidate already has experience.
Family related career breaks are common. The mistake candidates make is either hiding the gap completely or explaining it with too much personal detail.
Good Example
Career Break, Family Responsibilities
Sydney, NSW
June 2021 to August 2023
Took a planned career break to manage family responsibilities. During this time, maintained professional skills through online training in Microsoft Office, calendar management, and customer communication. Now available for ongoing employment.
This works because it is factual, steady, and does not invite unnecessary questions.
Stronger version for a candidate returning to administration
Career Break, Family Responsibilities
Sydney, NSW
June 2021 to August 2023
Took a planned career break to manage family responsibilities. Maintained strong organisational and communication capability through household administration, appointment coordination, document management, budgeting, and online professional development in Microsoft Office. Now seeking to return to an administration or office support role.
This version connects the break to transferable skills without pretending caregiving is the same as corporate employment. That distinction matters. Good positioning is not exaggeration.
Redundancy is not a personal failure. In Australia, restructures, contract changes, funding shifts, and business closures happen constantly. The key is to avoid sounding bitter or defensive.
Good Example
Career Transition Following Redundancy
Brisbane, QLD
November 2023 to May 2024
Role concluded due to company restructure. Used the transition period to complete short courses in Xero, Excel reporting, and customer account management while actively seeking a suitable permanent role.
This is clean and credible. It explains the gap, gives context, and shows constructive activity.
Weak Example
Unemployed After Redundancy
Made redundant unfairly and have been looking for work since.
This may be emotionally true, but it does not help your resume. The resume is not the place to process what happened. It is the place to position what you offer next.
You do not need to disclose private medical information on your resume. In most cases, a brief and professional explanation is enough.
Good Example
Career Break, Health Recovery
Perth, WA
February 2022 to December 2022
Took a planned career break for health recovery. Now fully available to return to work and seeking a role where I can apply my background in retail operations, stock control, customer service, and team support.
This works because it gives enough context without oversharing.
More private version
Career Break
Perth, WA
February 2022 to December 2022
Took a planned personal career break. Now available to return to work and focused on roles in retail operations, customer service, and team support.
This is suitable if you do not want to mention health. Candidates often think they must explain everything. You do not. You need to explain enough to reduce uncertainty.
If you studied during your employment gap, do not bury it at the bottom of the resume. Use it to show direction.
Good Example
Professional Development and Career Transition
Adelaide, SA
March 2023 to February 2024
Completed professional development in project coordination, stakeholder communication, and Microsoft Excel while transitioning from hospitality management into administration. Built capability in scheduling, reporting, documentation, and internal coordination.
This works especially well for career changers because it explains both the gap and the career direction.
Good Example for IT or Digital Roles
Study and Technical Upskilling
Canberra, ACT
January 2023 to October 2023
Completed training in IT support fundamentals, ticketing systems, troubleshooting, and Microsoft 365 administration. Developed practical skills through home lab projects, technical documentation, and service desk practice scenarios.
This is much stronger than just writing “studying” because it shows what became more employable during the gap.
Travel can be fine on a resume if it is framed properly. The mistake is making it sound like the employer should be impressed by your life experience without connecting it to work readiness.
Good Example
Career Break, Travel and Relocation
Australia and Overseas
April 2022 to January 2023
Took a planned career break for travel and relocation. Now settled in Melbourne and available for permanent employment in sales support, account coordination, and customer service.
This answers the practical concern: are you back, settled, and ready to work?
Weak Example
Travelled around Europe and gained life experience.
That may be true, but it does not help a hiring manager decide whether you can perform the role.
Parents returning to work often worry that employers will judge the gap. Some will. Many will not. What matters is how clearly you position your return.
Good Example
Career Break, Parental Leave and Family Care
Gold Coast, QLD
July 2020 to March 2024
Took an extended career break for parental leave and family care responsibilities. Now available to return to work and seeking a part time or full time role in administration, customer service, or team coordination. Maintained strong organisation, communication, scheduling, and problem solving skills throughout the break.
This is honest without being overly personal.
Stronger version for an experienced professional
Career Break, Parental Leave and Family Care
Gold Coast, QLD
July 2020 to March 2024
Took an extended career break for parental leave and family care responsibilities. Returning to the workforce with previous experience in team administration, stakeholder communication, diary coordination, document preparation, and office support. Available for roles requiring reliability, discretion, and strong organisational judgement.
This version sounds more mature and job relevant. It does not ask the employer to value parenting as a substitute for employment. It shows what the candidate is ready to do next.
Carer responsibilities can be sensitive. Keep it factual and grounded.
Good Example
Career Break, Carer Responsibilities
Hobart, TAS
May 2021 to September 2023
Took a planned career break to provide care for a family member. Now available to return to employment and focused on roles in community services administration, client support, and customer facing coordination.
This works because it is clear and respectful.
Good Example for healthcare or support work
Career Break, Carer Responsibilities
Hobart, TAS
May 2021 to September 2023
Took a planned career break to provide family care. Maintained strong communication, patience, organisation, appointment coordination, and service navigation skills. Now seeking to return to support work, healthcare administration, or client services.
This is one of those cases where the gap can actually support the positioning if handled carefully.
Sometimes candidates think they have an employment gap when they actually have work history that is just not presented clearly.
If you freelanced, consulted, took short contracts, worked casually, did gig work, supported a family business, or completed paid projects, do not leave the period blank. Show it properly.
Good Example
Freelance Administration and Customer Support
Remote, Australia
February 2022 to December 2023
Provided casual freelance support across email management, data entry, customer enquiries, appointment scheduling, and document formatting for small business clients.
Selected contributions
Managed customer enquiries across email and phone channels
Updated spreadsheets, client records, invoices, and internal documents
Supported appointment scheduling and follow up communication
Maintained confidentiality when handling client and business information
This is much stronger than leaving a two year gap because the work was not traditional employment.
This is the one candidates worry about most. Maybe you were burnt out. Maybe life was messy. Maybe you were unemployed and trying to find your feet. You still need to write it professionally.
Good Example
Career Break
Melbourne, VIC
January 2023 to November 2023
Took a personal career break and used the period to reassess career direction. Now available for employment and focused on roles in customer service, administration, and operations support.
This is enough.
Do not invent courses. Do not pretend you were consulting if you were not. Recruiters are very used to polished nonsense. A simple, honest explanation is better than a suspiciously inflated one.
Employment gap bullet points should not read like excuses. They should do one of three things:
Explain the reason briefly
Show readiness to return
Connect relevant activity to the target role
Here are strong phrases you can adapt.
For a planned career break
Took a planned career break and am now available to return to ongoing employment
Used the period to reassess career direction and focus on roles aligned with my previous experience
Maintained professional readiness through online learning, volunteering, freelance work, or practical projects
For family or carer responsibilities
Took a career break to manage family responsibilities and am now available for work
Maintained strong organisation, communication, scheduling, and problem solving capability
Seeking to return to a role where I can apply previous experience in administration, customer service, or team support
For redundancy
Role concluded due to company restructure
Used the transition period to complete relevant training and actively pursue suitable roles
Available immediately for permanent, contract, or temporary opportunities
For health or personal reasons
Took a planned personal career break and am now ready to return to work
Now fully available for employment and focused on roles aligned with my previous experience
Maintained skills through self directed learning and professional development
For study
Completed training in relevant tools, systems, or technical skills
Built practical capability through projects, coursework, or industry aligned learning
Seeking to apply new skills in a practical workplace environment
The wording should be steady. No begging. No over explaining. No “despite my gap”. You are not entering the hiring process already apologising.
Some employment gap explanations create more concern than the gap itself. I see this often.
Weak Example
I left my last job because management was toxic and I needed time to recover from the terrible environment.
Even if that is true, it makes the reader wonder how you will talk about future employers. Keep the resume neutral.
Good Example
Took a planned career break after leaving previous employment and am now seeking a role aligned with my experience in operations, administration, and team coordination.
Weak Example
I had multiple personal and family problems, including medical issues, relationship issues, and financial stress.
That is too much information for a resume. It shifts the reader into personal judgement mode, even if they do not mean to be unfair.
Good Example
Took a personal career break and am now available to return to work.
Weak Example
Unemployed.
This is blunt in the wrong way. It gives no context and no confidence.
Good Example
Career break while seeking suitable employment. Continued developing skills in customer communication, Microsoft Office, and administration support.
Some candidates remove months or even years to make gaps less visible. Be careful. If the resume feels too vague, recruiters may assume the timeline is worse than it is.
Using years only can be acceptable for older experience, but for recent roles, month and year dates usually create more trust.
Not all gaps are read the same way. This is where real hiring judgement comes in.
A three month gap after redundancy is usually not a concern. A six month gap after a contract role is normal. A two year unexplained gap ending last month will raise questions. A five year gap from ten years ago may barely matter if the recent experience is strong.
Here is the practical recruiter logic.
If your gap happened eight years ago and you have stable experience since, do not over focus on it. The current version of you is what matters most.
If the gap is current or recent, explain it clearly.
For technology, finance, compliance, healthcare, digital marketing, HR systems, payroll, and project roles, employers care about whether your skills are current. If your gap is in one of these areas, include recent training, tools, systems, certifications, projects, or industry exposure.
A vague “career break” is less convincing when the role requires current technical knowledge.
If you have limited work history and a gap, the resume needs to show activity. That could be study, volunteering, casual work, certificates, internships, placements, portfolio projects, or community involvement.
Hiring managers are often more forgiving when they see effort and direction.
For senior professionals, a gap is not unusual. Executives, managers, and specialists often take longer to find the right role. But the resume needs to show that the break was a transition, not a drift.
Use language such as career transition, advisory work, consulting, board activity, professional development, or planned career break if accurate.
A strong Australian resume with an employment gap should feel easy to understand within the first few seconds.
Use this structure:
Name and Contact Details
Include your name, mobile number, email, city and state, and LinkedIn profile if strong.
Professional Summary
Mention your target role, relevant experience, and return to work status if the gap is recent.
Key Skills
Include role relevant skills, not generic traits. For example, customer enquiries, diary management, rostering, stakeholder communication, invoice processing, CRM systems, case notes, stock control, compliance documentation, or reporting.
Employment History
List roles in reverse chronological order. Add a career break entry where needed.
Education and Professional Development
Include recent courses or certifications that support your return.
Volunteer Work, Projects, Freelance Work, or Community Experience
Include this only if it is relevant or helps explain the gap.
References
Use “Available on request” or omit references entirely unless requested.
The structure should make the recruiter think, “I understand the timeline. I understand the skills. I understand the next step.”
That is the aim.
Below is a realistic Australian resume example for a candidate returning to administration after a family related career break.
Priya Shah
Melbourne, VIC
0400 000 000
linkedin.com/in/priyashah
Professional Summary
Administration and customer service professional with experience across reception, scheduling, data entry, document preparation, and client communication. Recently completed a planned family career break and now seeking to return to an office support or administration role. Known for calm communication, strong organisation, accuracy, and the ability to support busy teams with practical day to day coordination.
Key Skills
Office administration and reception support
Customer enquiries and complaint handling
Appointment scheduling and diary coordination
Data entry and records management
Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams
Document formatting and file management
Supplier and stakeholder communication
Confidential information handling
Time management and task prioritisation
Employment History
Career Break, Family Responsibilities
Melbourne, VIC
March 2021 to January 2024
Took a planned career break to manage family responsibilities. Maintained professional readiness through online training in Microsoft Office, administration systems, and customer communication. Now available for part time or full time employment.
Administration Assistant
Brightway Medical Centre, Melbourne, VIC
February 2018 to February 2021
Supported daily administration and reception operations in a busy healthcare environment, including appointment bookings, patient enquiries, records updates, and internal coordination.
Key Achievements
Managed high volume phone and email enquiries with professionalism and accuracy
Scheduled patient appointments and supported calendar coordination for clinical staff
Updated confidential patient records in line with internal procedures
Prepared documents, forms, correspondence, and basic reports
Supported billing administration, invoice processing, and payment follow up
Assisted with front desk coverage during peak periods and staff absences
Customer Service Officer
Metro Retail Group, Melbourne, VIC
August 2015 to January 2018
Provided customer service, sales support, stock coordination, and issue resolution in a fast paced retail environment.
Key Achievements
Responded to customer enquiries across phone, email, and in person channels
Resolved complaints calmly while protecting customer relationships
Supported stock checks, order follow ups, and product availability updates
Trained new team members on customer service standards and store procedures
Maintained accurate transaction records and daily administration tasks
Education and Professional Development
Certificate III in Business Administration
Melbourne Training Institute
Completed 2015
Microsoft Excel Refresher Course
Online
Completed 2023
Customer Service Communication Training
Online
Completed 2023
References
Available on request
This resume works because the gap is handled calmly and clearly. It does not hide the career break, but it also does not let the break overpower the candidate’s actual value.
The strongest parts are:
The professional summary explains the return to work immediately
The career break entry closes the timeline gap
The skills section is practical and job relevant
The previous employment history shows capability and stability
Recent training supports readiness
The language is professional without sounding defensive
This is what I want candidates to understand: the resume does not need to make the gap disappear. It needs to make the gap understandable.
Your resume gets you past the first screen. The interview is where you may need to explain the gap with a little more confidence.
Keep your answer short, factual, and forward looking.
Good Example
I took a planned career break for family responsibilities. That period has now ended, and I am ready to return to work. I am particularly interested in this role because it matches my previous experience in administration, customer communication, and team support.
That is a strong answer because it does not ramble. It answers the question and brings the conversation back to the role.
Weak Example
It is a long story. A lot happened, and honestly the last few years were very difficult. I am just hoping to get back into something.
That may be honest, but it places emotional weight on the interviewer and does not reassure them about work readiness.
A hiring manager is not usually looking for a perfect life story. They are looking for confidence that you can do the job, commit to the role, and communicate professionally.
The biggest mistake is assuming the gap itself is the problem.
Most of the time, the real problem is weak positioning.
A candidate with a two year gap can still look credible if the resume explains the break, shows relevant skills, and makes the return to work clear.
A candidate with a six month gap can look risky if the resume is vague, defensive, or full of unexplained timeline jumps.
The hiring process is full of imperfect information. Recruiters make decisions based on what is visible. If your resume does not explain something obvious, the reader will fill in the blanks. Sometimes they will be fair. Sometimes they will not. Either way, do not leave important context to imagination.
Your job is to make the decision easier.
Use this simple structure and adapt it to your situation.
Career Break, Reason or Context
City, State
Month Year to Month Year
Took a planned career break to manage brief reason if you want to include it. Maintained professional readiness through training, volunteering, freelance work, caregiving responsibilities, projects, or relevant activity. Now available for full time, part time, contract, or suitable employment in target role or industry.
Example
Career Break, Family Responsibilities
Sydney, NSW
May 2022 to February 2024
Took a planned career break to manage family responsibilities. Maintained professional readiness through online training in Microsoft Office, customer communication, and administration support. Now available for full time employment in office administration or customer service.
This is simple, but it works. It answers the timeline question and gives the recruiter a clean reason to keep reading.
Do not let an employment gap make you write a nervous resume.
A good resume is not a confession. It is a positioning document. It should be honest, clear, and useful for the person making the hiring decision.
When I see a well handled employment gap, I do not think less of the candidate. I think, “Good, the timeline makes sense. Now I can assess the actual fit.”
That is what you want.
Explain the gap briefly. Show readiness. Prove relevance. Keep the tone steady. Then move the employer’s attention back to what you can do.
The candidates who handle gaps best are not the ones with perfect timelines. They are the ones who understand what the recruiter needs to trust the application.
Written by Simar Malhi, a recruiter and headhunter with international recruitment experience. I write about CVs, job applications, hiring decisions, and the reality behind recruitment processes. My goal is to help candidates understand more honestly how employers, recruiters, and hiring managers actually select candidates.
Upload Resume
Import from Linkedin